A Tale of PassionA Tale of Passion & Pride & Pride

Merchants Finacial GroupMerchants Finacial Group

The story of a Company The story of a Company and its Peopleand its People

Merchants Financial Group as Merchants Financial Group as a Servant Leadera Servant Leader

A symbol of strength & A symbol of strength & stabilitystability

A building is more thanA building is more than bricks and mortar bricks and mortar

Merchants is all about Merchants is all about people working with each people working with each

other, customers, and other, customers, and communitycommunity

Pancake breakfast for Pancake breakfast for everyone!everyone!

Extending a helping handExtending a helping hand

The significant value of The significant value of givinggiving

Helping the hungryHelping the hungry

A deep, rich heritage beginning A deep, rich heritage beginning in 1875in 1875

Originally known as Originally known as the the

““working man’s working man’s bank”bank”

Ongoing StewardshipOngoing Stewardship

Preservation of the PastPreservation of the Past

Respecting DiversityRespecting DiversityEmployees spoke English,Employees spoke English, German and Luxembourg German and Luxembourg

Primary goal is to serve thePrimary goal is to serve the needs of the common man, needs of the common man, merchants, and communitymerchants, and community

Original Location —Original Location —Establishing & Maintaining RootsEstablishing & Maintaining Roots

In touch with all walks of life,In touch with all walks of life, from the beginning from the beginning

Humble beginnings and a deep Humble beginnings and a deep commitment to peoplecommitment to people

Assets < $100,000 in Assets < $100,000 in 18751875

Assets > $1,000,000,000 in 2008Assets > $1,000,000,000 in 2008

Simple Values, Simple Values, Rich TraditionsRich Traditions

Sound advice since 1875Sound advice since 1875

Clerks were provided sleeping Clerks were provided sleeping rooms above the bank, a rooms above the bank, a

gathering space for women, and gathering space for women, and meeting room for farmers and meeting room for farmers and

businessmenbusinessmen

Requirements of all Requirements of all employees:employees:

►Work hardWork hard►Be honest, helpful & cheerfulBe honest, helpful & cheerful►Treat customers and co-workers with Treat customers and co-workers with

respectrespect

Ingenuity and creativity are Ingenuity and creativity are highly encouragedhighly encouraged

““How can we better serve How can we better serve customers?”customers?”

Our success will depend on the Our success will depend on the success of the Communitysuccess of the Community

“How can we help?”“How can we help?”

The Importance of Giving BackThe Importance of Giving Back

We must demonstrate courage We must demonstrate courage and strength in all that we doand strength in all that we do

We must honor the customer We must honor the customer and community with pride and and community with pride and

integrityintegrity

To become a leader, we must To become a leader, we must remain humble and never lose remain humble and never lose sight of our values and moralssight of our values and morals

Opening our eyes to wonder….Opening our eyes to wonder….

Collaboration and Collaboration and resourcefulness will instill a resourcefulness will instill a

bright and bright and prosperous futureprosperous future

The diversity of ideas and The diversity of ideas and opinions is healthy. opinions is healthy.

Our culture is toOur culture is to listen, grow, and serve. listen, grow, and serve.

We must never forget We must never forget why we are herewhy we are here

Local prideLocal pride

Commitment to well beingCommitment to well being

Rituals and traditions must never Rituals and traditions must never

be forgotten. We must honor be forgotten. We must honor and respect our rich heritage.and respect our rich heritage.

Everybody loves a paradeEverybody loves a parade

Working together is good!Working together is good!

Recognizing employees, families Recognizing employees, families

and celebrating with themand celebrating with them

A common thread pulls usA common thread pulls us all together all together

Recognizing accomplishmentsRecognizing accomplishments & offering praise & offering praise

We remain cautious of power We remain cautious of power and greed and steadfast to and greed and steadfast to

integrity and a stellar integrity and a stellar reputation.reputation.

Boy Scouts of America

Enhancement to shareholder Enhancement to shareholder value is the result of serving value is the result of serving customers well and giving customers well and giving back to the community.back to the community.

Partnering with educationPartnering with educationTeaching core valuesTeaching core values

Strong partnerships make strong Strong partnerships make strong communitiescommunities

Merchants Bank Volunteers for the Merchants Bank Volunteers for the InaugurationInauguration

Banking is more than budgets Banking is more than budgets and balance sheets. and balance sheets.

It is about It is about peoplepeople!!

Watching the bank softball Watching the bank softball teamteam

Having fun at a staff meetingHaving fun at a staff meeting

Celebrating a birthdayCelebrating a birthday

Welcoming the customersWelcoming the customers

Trying new things… Trying new things… shooting for the stars!!!shooting for the stars!!!

Involving everyone & Involving everyone & stretching the imaginationstretching the imagination

Reaching out to:Reaching out to:

►Help flood victimsHelp flood victims► Feed the hungryFeed the hungry► Student loansStudent loans► Start up businessesStart up businesses

Creating a sense of home and to Creating a sense of home and to build a dream is profound!build a dream is profound!

Our doors must be open to allOur doors must be open to all as a warm and inviting place. as a warm and inviting place.

An interesting, comfortable An interesting, comfortable environment for all who enterenvironment for all who enter

Food & fellowship are Food & fellowship are always on handalways on hand

We must serve, be confidentWe must serve, be confident in our ability, and listen with in our ability, and listen with

our heart and soulour heart and soul

Striving to Striving to offer advice as offer advice as

a trusted a trusted friendfriend

There is more There is more in giving than in giving than

receivingreceiving

We will be differentiated by our We will be differentiated by our warm and caring attitudewarm and caring attitude

Christmas Party for senior Christmas Party for senior customerscustomers

School choirs in the main lobby School choirs in the main lobby at Christmasat Christmas

In all that we do, we must be In all that we do, we must be sincere, genuine and confidentsincere, genuine and confident

The eagle above The eagle above the main door is the main door is symbolic of our symbolic of our American Heritage, American Heritage, representing representing strength, power, strength, power, and keenness of and keenness of vision – all qualities vision – all qualities that Merchants that Merchants Bank represents.Bank represents.

As Robert Greenleaf said, “we As Robert Greenleaf said, “we must work with patience and a must work with patience and a

quiet persistence”quiet persistence”

Authorship is important Authorship is important “I did this and I am very proud “I did this and I am very proud

of it”of it”

We must all remember “TEAM”We must all remember “TEAM”TTogether ogether EEveryone veryone AAccomplishes ccomplishes MMoreore

In spite of challenges, the In spite of challenges, the Company and its people are Company and its people are

resilient and persevere in good resilient and persevere in good times and badtimes and bad

Faith and trust in co-workers Faith and trust in co-workers and company values must and company values must

prevailprevail

Customers and co-workers soon Customers and co-workers soon become like family and friends. become like family and friends.

Banking evolves into deep, Banking evolves into deep, meaningful relationships.meaningful relationships.

Encouragement and words of Encouragement and words of praise are frequently shared. praise are frequently shared.

The little things make a The little things make a difference.difference.

►PleasePlease►Good jobGood job►You’re welcome You’re welcome ►Thank youThank you

Praise goes a long waysPraise goes a long ways

Taking time to celebrate is Taking time to celebrate is critical – laughter is the music of critical – laughter is the music of

the soulthe soul

We must never forget to honor We must never forget to honor leisure. There needs to be time leisure. There needs to be time

for family, friends, and faith.for family, friends, and faith.

What makes MFG a Servant What makes MFG a Servant Leader?Leader?

The company has a The company has a soulsoul..

There is a deep sense of pride There is a deep sense of pride and commitment to employees, and commitment to employees,

customers and community.customers and community.

The efforts of MFG are not to gain The efforts of MFG are not to gain notoriety and fame, but rather to do notoriety and fame, but rather to do

what is right what is right in all that we do.in all that we do.

MFG exists on a foundation of promoting MFG exists on a foundation of promoting common good for the betterment of common good for the betterment of

mankind. mankind.

Being part of the Servant Being part of the Servant Leadership program was like Leadership program was like going to see the Wizard of OZgoing to see the Wizard of OZ

I dreamed of a place that would I dreamed of a place that would sort out life and slow things sort out life and slow things

downdown

Along the way, I made manyAlong the way, I made many new friends new friends

The trip on the yellow brick road The trip on the yellow brick road was like a dreamwas like a dream

On the journey…On the journey…

There was one looking for There was one looking for

wisdomwisdom

There was one looking for There was one looking for

couragecourage

There was one looking for a There was one looking for a

heartheart

And most importantly, there was And most importantly, there was

one that only wanted to get one that only wanted to get

back homeback home

I have found the Land of OZ and I have found the Land of OZ and learned that in the little black learned that in the little black

bag…bag…

Everything we need in life lies Everything we need in life lies deep in our soul. We must not deep in our soul. We must not be afraid and be thankful for be afraid and be thankful for

every day.every day.